Broom head and means for removably attaching it to a handle



June 23,1953 K. ERIK BROOM HEAD AND MEANS FOR REMOVABLY ATTACHING IT TOA HANDLE Filed Sept. 23, 1949 I IFHZ.

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Patented June 23, 1953 BROOM HEAD AND MEANS FOR REMOV- ABLY ATTACHING ITTO A HANDLE Karl Erik, Sheflield, Pa., assignor to G. G. GreeneManufacturing Corporation, Warren. Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication September 23, 1949, Serial No. 117,361

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to brooms,

brushes and similar articles of the class having a working head composedof a bundle or tuft of fibers or similar flexible sweeping or workingelements, and it relates more particularly to those suitable forhousehold purposes for sweeping, brushing and similar operations.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved article of this class which is lighter in weight and moreattractive in appearance than articles of this class as heretoforemanufactured or proposed, and which may be manufactured inexpensively.

Another object is to provide novel and improved means for securing abundle or tuft of fibers or similar sweeping or working elements in theworking head whereby pulling of these elements is efiectively prevented.

Another object is to provide an article of this class in which thebundle of fibers or other flexible elements of the head are carried by amember as a unit therewith and which is removably inserted in a holderattached to a handle, and which may be replaced by another similar unitwhen the fibers or other flexible elements of the head become worn.

Another object is to provide novel and improved means for firmly butremovably locking the head unit in the holder and which may be easilyoperated to release a used or worn head and to lock a replacement headunit in the holder.

r A further object of the invention is to provide;

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafterdescribed, the features of novelty being set forth more particularly inthe claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawing which shows the preferred embodiment of theinvention:

Figure 1 is a collective viewin elevation and partly in section, showingthe components of the article.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an end View of the holder shown in Fig. 1.

2 Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

'ments Figure 5 is an elevation of the article in completely assembledcondition.

Figure 6 is a section taken vertically through the head unit and itsholder, showing the head unit inserted in the holder and securedtherein. I

Similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals in thedifferent figures.

The invention is shown in the present instance applied to a broom of thetype having a head composed of a bundle of relatively long flexiblefibers, and having a handle for manipulating it in performing sweepingoperations, as in a householcl, but it is to be understood that theinvention is applicable to brushes and'other similar articles having aworking head of this general The broom as shown comprises generally ahead unit H], a holder H to receive the head, and a handle [2 to whichthe holder is connected. The head unit I!) comprises an elongated basel3 composed preferably of a sheet of relatively stiff metal stamped intothe form of a channel to receive the flexible sweeping elements I 4 ofthe head. These elements are secured in the base by taking a bundle or arelatively wide tuft of parallel long vegetable fibers or other suitableflexible elements of double length of the completed head and folding thebundle midway of its length about a core l5 such as a rod or large wireand inserting the doubled portion of. the bundle into the channel shapedbase where they are clamped firmly between the opposite sides l6 of thebase, and the sides of the base are rigidly secured together by crossmembers I1 which are welded or otherwise secured to and connect theirends. Portions of the sides of the base are also preferably pressedinwardly to form longitudinal ribs [8 which press the interposed doubledor' folded portion of the bundle of flexible elements I4 inwardly abovethe core l5, thereby securely locking the flexible elements of the headin the base and preventing pulling of these eletherefrom. Longitudinalgrooves 19 formed at the outer surfaces of the sides l6 by the pressinginwardly of the ribs l8 serve to retain the head unit in the holder, ashereinafter described. 7

The holder H is composed of a sheet of some' what resilient material,such as cold rolled steel which is pressed into substantially channelform to provide longitudinal sides 20 which are spaced aparttransversely sufiiciently to receive the head unit In between them, andends 2| -which are spaced apart longitudinally sufficiently to receivethe ends of the head unit between them. Each end of the holder isslotted transversely at 22, and the portions of the end wall above theslot are turned longitudinally outwardly and then laterally to form apair of flanges 23 which are spaced beyondthe respective end wall of theholder, as shown in Fig. 2, and the lateral edges of these flanges, ateach end of the holder, are

inclined so that they diverge toward the top of the holder, as shown inFig. 3. The upper lengitudinal edges of the side wallsof. the holder;

are preferably bent inwardly or toward one another, as shown at 25, sothat they "will bear;

against the bundle of fibrous flexible elements in the base of the headunit when the latter is inserted in the holder, thereby providing a firmsupport for these elements.

The holder H is of a length and Width to snugly receive the base 13 ofthe head unit, the inherent resilience of the; holder preferably holdingthe sides of the holder apart to a suf;- fici'ent. extent to enable thebase of the:: ead unit to be inserted therein easily. Means is providedfor-forcing the sides of the holder toward-ione another to firmlyclampand secure the-base of the head unit therein, such means comprisingin the present instance a pair of clips 30 which cooperate with theflanges 23 on the endsyof ,the' holder. Each of these clips comprises astrip of: metal or other suitable material" having its longitudinaledges turned inwardly in substantial parallelism -to form a pair offlanges: SIwhich, at one end ofthe' clip, are'spaced from the bodythereof to form parallel grooves 32 to slidably. receive the flanges-23;at therespective end of the holder and to cooperate with theout-turned diver nt edges 24 thereof: Theflanges 2t of thev clip arepreferably flattened against the body: thereof towardv the, other end ofthe clip to stiffen it,

and this end of the clip'is preferably-curved to form a finger grip 33.After the basel3 of the head unit has been inserted into the holder II,the clips 38 are placed over the lower ends ofitheiflanges 2-3 at therespective endsof *theholder and pushed upwardly, the engagement betweenthe upwardly divergent edges 2% of the flanges 23 on the ends of theholder and the parallel grooves 32 of the clips acting as wedges whichforce the-opposite longitudinal sides of the holder inwardly and intofirm clamping relationwith the base 13 of the head unit therein.

In order to'more firmly and rigidly secure'the head unit iii in theholder, the opposite sides of the: latter are pressed inwardly toformzlongitudinalribs 34 at a height to enter the grooves 19 formed atthe outer sides of the longitudinal ribs 58 in the base l3 of the headunit, thereby providing a yieldable lock between the'holder and the headunit therein. Portions of the sides of the holder below the ribs 34 mayalso be pressed inwardly to form longitudinal ribs 35 locatedat a heightto bear frictionally against the respective ungrooved portions of thesides of thebaseof the head unit, thereby preventing any-looseness ofsaid unit in the holder andin-w creasing its security-of hold therein,

Since the head unit is separate from the, holder,- it may be readilyremoved therefrom whenr the" fibres or other flexible elements of theworking portion of the head become Worn, by simply removing the clips 36from the ends of the holder, thus permitting the sides of the holder tospread apart sufhciently to relieve the clamping action on the base l3,which may then be removed from the holder and another similar headunit-may then be inserted as "a replacement in the holder and clampedtherein by applying and setting up the clips 30.

" The holder may be connected to a suitable handle in. any suitablemanner, the holder being shown in the present instance as having athreaded stem 4d fixed to or formed integrally therewith, and'thehandle12, which is preferably tubular as shown, is provided with acorrespondingly threaded socket, this socket being COIHDOSGdaOf. a pair.of substantially semi-tubular portions 4| which are pressed into the endof the tubular handle, the inner ends of the semitubular portions of thesocket being connected atntheirinner ends by a strap-42 which ispreferablyvformed. integrally withv the semietubular:

portions of the socket; V a

I claim:,

1. Anarticle of the'class described, comprising a base having flexibleWorking elementsse cured therein, a holder having Opposed-sides whicharerelatively movable and spaced apa t to receive said base betweenthem, and having their ends turned in opposite directions and formed;with divergent: edges, and channelshaped wedge members slidableonv saidv0p!- positely turned: ends andcooperative' with their divergent edges toforcethe sideslof the holder toward one another andinto clampingengage-1:

ment with the base in the holder;

2. A broom; comprising a base member carrying a bundle of flexiblefibers; aholder mem ber: adapted to receive the base member, a ribbeing. formed in asideof one of saidmembers and, a groove being formedin a side of the other member in a position to receive said rib when thebase member is in operative position in'the holder member, andsaid sideof one of saidimembers-having a second rib thereon spaced from thefirst-mentioned rib and said groove when the. base member is inoperative position in the; holder member and-engaging frictionally withan'un-grooved portion of the side of the other-member,x and means forforcing the sides of'the. holder toward one another to therebyretainsaid first-mentioned rib in said groove and, to' provide a frictionalgrip. between saidrsecond ribfl and theunegrooved portionof the *sideof;-the;;cooperative member.

KARL ERIK. 1

References Cited-in the file of thisepatent"

